Part 21 (2/2)
”Plus saw us leave,” Laria was obliged to admit, seeing now through her mother's reaction how ill advised their abrupt departure was.
** wasn't. Kincaid's hand gripped her thigh firmly. ”From what Plrgtgl said, it will be far too busy treating the other . .. victims ... to question how Clarf Tower is being handled, so long as it is operational. I can, of course, return immediately, and leave my friends with Laria to deputize for me.”
”Only when they are well enough not to require the rea.s.surance your presence can give them,” Afra said.
Damia was blinking in surprise at Afra's domination of the interchanges.
”So some idiot decided that freezing 'Dinis would prevent reproduction?” Laria asked scornfully.
”You'd think the last thing a 'Dini would do is emulate a queen,” Kincaid remarked caustically.
Damia did frown. ”How do you construe that?” ”Well, the Heinlein queen nearly died from cold before she started hatching eggs for attendants,” Kincaid replied. ”Or perhaps you never saw the report I did. When they installed the queen at Heinlein, they provided the same ambient temperature that had been in her escape pod. What they didn't realize was that that was not the normal Hive temperature: it was low to reduce her activity level by the cold so she'd have the maximum amount of oxygen to take her where she meant to go.”
”So it was plain logic, rather than communication, that Zara acted on that time?” Damia asked.
”She's always been interested in biology,” Afra said. ”She acted on a logical conclusion she didn't know how to explain at the time. I'm glad to hear what prompted her.”
”But that doesn't explain why the Mrdini would use cold to reduce creation.”
Afra gave Kincaid a wry look. ”Mrdini logic sometimes defeats Human mental processes.”
”It d.a.m.ned near killed our 'Dinis,” Laria said in a savage tone, and added an unreproduceable sound of disgust. ”So how is it that Zara happens to be here in Iota Aurigae and able to nurse 'Dinis?”
”She has had metamorphic training,” Damia began, ”and Elizara felt that, having grown up with 'Dims, she was the best available medical personnel. Your grandfather as well as the High Councillors considered her the proper choice . . .” Damia paused, emanating a complex blend of pride, anxiety and surprise. ”A select, high-powered team of medical personnel and xenbees has been a.s.sembled and permitted to enter a hibernatory to see exactly what does happen. Whatever activities ordinarily take place are limited to specially chosen and trained keepers.”
Laria and Kincaid exchanged respectful glances. ”Well, good for Zara,” said her proud sister. ”So she ... or someone else here on Iota . . . really can restore ours?”
”I'd rest easy on that score, my dear,” Afra said. Then he rose suddenly and strode from the room.
”What's . . .” Laria began.
”I believe your father is aware that Vagrian is awake,” Damia said.
”Oh, him! I completely forgot you took him on.”
”It may be early, but perhaps we could do stables. I'd find it soothing work,” Kincaid said, rising.
”I'll help.”
”Now just a moment, Laria,” her mother began.
”With all deference, Damia, we'll do stables,” Kincaid said, taking Laria's hand in his, and they 'ported out of the room-the height of bad manners for Talents and especially in front of Damia Raven-Lyon.
How dare . . .
Enough, Damia, Afra said, so bluntly that Damia was silent.
Though they were safely out of the house, Kincaid and Laria winced, waiting for Damia's reaction to such a dictate.
”Better we were rude just to Mother,” Laria murmured as she and Kincaid strode quickly up to the stables. ”I'd've been a lot ruder in his presence. I wonder how Zara copes with him.”
”I suspect she's not around often enough right now for that to be a problem,” Kincaid said. ”Imagine that! She's allowed in a hibernatory! That's another first for the formidable Lyon's Pride.”
” 'Lyon's Pride?' ” Laria stopped and stared at him.
”Well, you are, you know, and it's meant as a compliment by all I've heard use the term,” he said in a placatory tone.
”Lyon's Pride, huh.” Laria savored the label and then chuckled. ”Does Dad know?”
”I shouldn't wonder,” Kincaid replied.
”Hope Mother doesn't. She's rather partial to being a Gwyn-Raven.”
”So she should be.” Kincaid slid apart the stable doors and grinned as the inmates whickered joyfully at such an early arrival of those-who-fed. There was additional noise as resting horses rose to all four legs and their shod hooves sc.r.a.ped against plascrete floors.
In the first right-hand stable, Saki nickered more urgently, stamping her feet in welcome to a well-known voice, demanding her breakfast nuggets.
”The morning feeds are usually made up the night before,” Laria said, pausing to let her favorite horse sniff, then lick her palm. ”The middle door.”
”I remember . . . and so they are.”
Saki pushed at Laria, obviously urging her to speed her breakfast to her, so Laria trotted down to the feed room and helped Kincaid load the trolley. ”We have to start with Saki or she'll damage her knees kicking the door if anyone else's fed first.”
”Shamelessly spoiled . . .”
”Knows she's the alpha mare.”
”Will they mind a Lyon-Dano in the Pride?” Kincaid asked, pulling I.
out the feed dish of the brown gelding opposite Saki, who seemed to be inhaling her pellets.
”I told you, I don't want you bound officially,” Laria said, moving down the aisle to the next horse.
”Our child will have two parents and that's not negotiable, Laria Gwyn-Raven-Lyon-Dano,” Kincaid said, in almost the same adamant tone Afra had used to Damia.
”Like that, are you?” Laria grinned, rather pleased at his att.i.tude, as she dumped yet another breakfast into a manger.
”Unless your parents kick up a stink . . .”
They happened to be facing each other over the feed flat.
”I doubt that, Kincaid Dano.” She not only made eye contact with him but opened her mind, letting him see her high regard for the person he had struggled to become despite a miserable childhood. ”Since they already respect you. As well as,” she added in a blithe tone, ”quite likely admire you for putting up with their eldest daughter- Now, let's finish feeding.”
The activity of feeding, haying and straightening stable sheets had a soothing effect on them both, considering the multiple shocks of the day.
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